NICK CARTER STORIES _Issued Weekly. Entered as Second-class Matter at the New York Post Office, by_ Street & Smith, _79-89 Seventh Ave., New York. Copyright, 1915, by_ Street & Smith. _O. G. Smith and G. C. Smith, Proprietors._ Terms to NICK CARTER STORIES Mail Subscribers. (_Postage Free._) Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each. 3 months 65c. 4 months 85c. 8 months $1.25 One year 2.50 2 copies one year 4.00 1 copy two years 4.00 How to Send Money—By post-office or express money order, registered letter, bank check or draft, at our risk. At your own risk if sent by currency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. Receipts—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper change of number on your label. If not correct you have not been properly credited, and should let us know at once. NEW YORK, March 13, 1915. No. 131. Price Five Cents. CONTENTS A Fatal Message; Or, Nick Carter’s Slender Clew. 1 I. A Suspicious Wire. 1 II. The Intercepted Letter. 3 III. Nick Carter’s Plans. 5 IV. The Real Substitute. 7 V. Night Work. 9 VI. How Patsy Made Good. 11 VII. Chick Carter’s Cunning. 13 VIII. A Change of Base. 15 IX. The Result of the Ruse. 17 On A Dark Stage. 19 XX. The Second Act. 19 XXI. Enter the Girl. 20 XXII. A New Mystery. 22 XXIII. The Ardent Sleuth. 23 XXIV. Mr. Amos Jarge. 23 The News of All Nations. 27 A FATAL MESSAGE; Or, NICK CARTER’S SLENDER CLEW. Edited by CHICKERING CARTER. CHAPTER I. A SUSPICIOUS WIRE. Nick Carter leaned nearer to the wall and listened to what the two men were discussing.